Residency Requirement

St. Ambrose University requires all full-time first and second year students (defined as those with less than 60 credits) whose permanent residence with their parent or legal guardian is more than 30 miles from campus to live in a university residence hall.

St. Ambrose University recognizes that education is not limited to the classroom. As students live, study and learn together in a community, they grow and develop in personal aspects of their lives.

The St. Ambrose educational experience nurtures in each student a connectedness to this community of learners and a commitment to contributing positively to the campus and greater community at large. Living on campus provides numerous enhanced opportunities for students to gain personal insights and make decisions about their lifestyle in the following ways:

Living on campus and participating in the floor, hall, and campus community contributes to all aspects of development in students-intellectually, spiritually, ethically, socially, artistically and physically. Research shows that students living in residence halls experience greater increases in intellectual, aesthetic and cultural attitudes and values.

Studies have demonstrated that residential students are more involved with the university through co-curricular activities, and therefore are more satisfied with their institution.

Social interaction with peers and faculty is greater when a student lives on campus.

There is clear evidence that living on campus has a positive impact on persistence, retention, and degree completion, and that these effects are greatest in the first years of college.

As students demonstrate growing maturity and the ability to make appropriate decisions, they earn the right to make more independent decisions and lifestyle choices.

Additional benefits of campus living include:

An environment of heightened safety and security associated with having front desks staffed, residence life staff living on the floors, and the presence of lead and police officers making rounds of campus property.